University of Virginia

22 December 2014

Rolling Stone got it right. Nothing emerges more clearly from Lyra Bartell's "I Stand with Survivors" project than the simple fact that rape and sexual assault are serious problems at the University of Virginia [UVA] and that the university yet to adequately confront them.

In these portraits -- there are now hundreds of them -- Bartell asked people at UVA to complete the phrase "I/We Stand with Survivors Because..." on a whiteboard and to stand with it in front of her camera. Her goal was to encourage people to show their support for survivors of rape and sexual violence and their opposition to the culture that ignores, dismisses, and, at its worst, condones rape. Over 250 people at UVA have participated. (Bartell, who graduated from UVA in May 2014, has since expanded the project to other universities.)

All photos copyright Lyra Bartell. Click on any image to see a larger version.

The article's author, Sabrina Rubin Erdely, made several fundamental journalistic mistakes. She focused her attention on a single person -- "Jackie" -- and the brutal gang rape that she said that she had endured at UVA. She didn't fact check "Jackie's" story. She didn't interview "Jackie's" friends or the alleged perpetrators. That is, she let a sensational story get in the way of good reporting. Someone on Twitter called it a "cosmic fail," and that sounds about right to me. (You can read a compelling critique, here.)

Erdely and Rolling Stone have also done tremendous damage to the cause of preventing and prosecuting rape and offering support to survivors. People have called the entire article a hoax, using the holes in "Jackie's" story to deny that rape and sexual violence a pressing social concerns -- at UVA and beyond. And that brings me back to "I Stand with Survivors." The women and men in Bartell's hundreds of portraits testify to the truth that was buried under Rolling Stone's incompetence and sensationalism.

Bartell was kind enough to agree to answer a few questions about her project. What follows has been lightly edited for length.

* * *

John Edwin Mason: What motivated you to make an artistic statement about rape and sexual violence at UVA [University of Virginia]?

Lyra Bartell: I began this project about sexual violence at UVA because of the Rolling Stone article. After reading it, I immediately thought of my many friends still at UVA who are survivors of sexual violence. I was also thinking of Jackie, of course, and the horrible retaliatory storm that was bound to unleash because she had the courage to come forward.

I didn't set out to create an "artistic statement." I set out to gather honest expressions of solidarity with survivors. But since I usually equate expressions of raw honesty with "art," I don't separate the two goals.

Most importantly, however, I set out to provide an open, communal space for individuals to express their individual reasons why they loved, supported, and believed survivors -- a living, growing, multi-faceted message of encouragement for survivors.

I wanted to do something simple so that it would be replicable elsewhere, and something that required me to be physically standing somewhere (at least to begin with). My continued presence standing with a whiteboard was a form of peaceful protest and hopefully an encouragement to other survivors.

I also wanted to do something that left space for people to share their individual stories or connection to sexual violence, but that would leave it as an option so survivors could still participate even if they did not want to self-identify as a survivor.

Although all of the media frenzy created by the Rolling Stone article was important in forcing UVA to take action, it also forced survivors to be constantly reminded of events that are often the most traumatic experiences of their lives. I knew that concern for the well-being of survivors on campus in the aftermath of that article was going to be severely neglected. So, I designed this project to create an inclusive platform to encourage survivors and let them see how many people believe them.

A more personal reason is that I also experienced multiple forms and instances of sexual violence while at UVA. Besides a few individuals who cared deeply and supported me through my recovery, I didn't feel that many other people tried to understand what I was experiencing. I suppose it was too uncomfortable to discuss since it involved someone in my friend group, so it was generally just ignored. It left me feeling very alienated though, as if I would never be able to relate to "normal" people again. I'm motivated to do this project out of a deep desire to prevent others from experiencing the same sense of isolation and hopelessness that I felt when I was recovering.

JEM: What inspired you to use photography as a medium?

LB: After I read the article, I spent about two hours painting to calm myself down, then I grabbed my camera and set out to Charlottesville at midnight and came up with the idea of "I Stand with Survivors" on the way there. Photography seemed to be the best medium to use since I wanted to be inclusive of as many diverse voices as possible. I wanted to create something visual, both on social media and in the physical world, something participatory, and something connected to specific people instead of de-contextualized, abstract messages. I also wanted it to be as direct a form of communication as possible from supporters to survivors.

Portrait photography has always been my favorite genre. It allows you to be intimate with a stranger for a brief moment of connection before you both go your separate ways. I was probably inspired to use the whiteboard from both the #WeAreAllUVA campaign and "Project Unbreakable."

JEM: You use the word "peaceful" to describe the project. Am I right to think that you wanted it to be non-confrontational and as inclusive as possible?

LB: Yes, this project wasn't meant to be confrontational. I do think there is a need for actions that may be more controversial, such as the Slut Walk and other protests. I took part in those. However, I wanted to offer a platform for people to speak on a subject that almost everyone agrees about -- that we should support survivors. I wanted to do something that would be healing to the community and remind everyone that the main goal of our activism should be to help survivors. There have been some confrontational messages that I do not filter, but I tried to frame the project to be an open platform for others to speak.

JEM: Have people who participated in I Stand With Survivors said anything about the project to you, beyond the thoughts and emotions that they expressed on the whiteboard? Have you heard any response from people who have simply seen the portraits, on Facebook or elsewhere?

LB: Yes, I've had quite a few people reach out regarding the project. It's all been extremely encouraging. People have written to thank me, saying that they felt such a relief to finally identify as a survivor and to be greeted with support. Others have told me that it was incredibly healing to be able to help others by sharing their stories. Many people have written to say that they scroll through the photos when they're feeling overwhelmed and need a reminder that they're loved and are not alone. Beyond the whiteboards, many people tell me their stories in person, even if they don't write a message that would indicate that they are a survivor.

I was pleasantly surprised, when I went to the University of the University of Mary Washington and Virginia Commonwealth University, that quite a few people came to participate in the project and had already seen the photos online. Really, I haven't had any negative reactions to the project. Everyone has been supportive.

JEM: As you know, Rolling Stone has backed away from many of the claims that it made in its article. Do you worry that people might begin to feel that the entire issue of sexual violence at UVA is a hoax? Is it possible that I Stand With Survivors will take on a new role -- to serve as a witness to the reality of the problem?

LB: To be honest, I was frightened of that at first, as were most other advocates whom I spoke with. However, the vast majority of people believe that something traumatic happened to Jackie regardless of the details. They tend to be angry with Rolling Stone for the way they handled the situation and for their poor journalism. Most people also think that the focus shouldn't be on Jackie's case alone, since there are so many other cases like hers. So, no, I don't believe anyone will think it is a hoax. People may believe it is overblown, but not a hoax.

From the beginning, I was hoping the project would also bear witness to the number of people affected by sexual violence directly and indirectly, both to help survivors and to show the general public how widespread the problem is. I think that's part of the reason that growing the project slowly on social media is so effective. People are connected to the individuals holding the messages and will often write comments of support to their friends in the photos. This personal connection is part of what makes the project so powerful.

I Stand with Survivors' ultimate goal isn't to focus solely on Jackie, UVA, or even college campuses. That's only one part of a large spectrum of gender violence that should be addressed, and I hope to expand it to other areas. I have plans to move to South America, so I'm going to see if I can continue this project there. I'm tentatively planning to photograph in hostels in different South American cities, since they're international microcosms. I'd also like to work with local organizations that are concerned with gender violence and learn how they address the issue.

02 November 2013

This was a just about the perfect afternoon and evening. Brilliant, original music, performed by musicians that love and admire, all for a truly great cause -- Habitat for Humanity of Greater Charlottesville. It happened a couple of weeks ago, and I should have gotten these photos up on the blog long before this. But things have been busy.

In any case, I was lucky enough to be at the sound check and rehearsal with a camera in my hand.

Cyrus Chestnut, Paramount Theater, Charlottesville, 10 October 2013.

Cyrus Chestnut, who I can honestly say is one of my two favorite jazz pianists, was one of the stars of the show. He's also a fine composer. The music he performed (with the University of Virginia's own Free Bridge Quintet) was all from his terrific new CD, Soul Brother Cool, which you can find on both Amazon and iTunes.

Cyrus Chestnut, Paramount Theater, Charlottesville, 10 October 2013.

This sequence of photos tells no lies. The joy that it captures is an essential part of Cyrus' personality.

Cyrus and the Free Bridge Quintet have played together in the past, so this was a musical encounter between old friends. Robert Jospe is the quintet's sometimes explosive, sometimes subtle, always creative drummer.

The compositions that Cyrus chose for the concert were all new. The amateur musician in me was thrilled to hear the sound come together as the quintet's member got comfortable with music they'd never played before. That's Pete Spaar on bass. I like the way that Pete's playing can sneak up on you and blow you away.

John D'earth, who plays trumpet in the quintet, is also a composer with an astonishing range. The Kandinsky Trio, the well known classical trio, has just recorded a CD of his music. Gently blending jazz and classical styles, it's simply beautiful. You can listen (and purchase), here.

Jeff Decker, Paramount Theater, Charlottesville, 10 October 2013.

Jeff Decker is a monster reed player, especially on tenor. He combines a big, muscular sound with nuance and grace. I've been a fan for nearly 20 years.

I'd call Terri Allard beloved, but that would make her seem older than she is. But, it's true. Virginia loves her singing, her song-writing, and her heart. Few performers give as much back to the community as she does.

I said that Habitat for Humanity of Greater Charlottesville is a great cause, and I wasn't kidding. They've built an astonishing amount of affordable housing for the poor, in this region, and the pace is only accelerating.

07 August 2012

I've had to learn that lesson two or three times over the last ten years. My teacher? Laura Lee Patterson Huttenbach.

College professors have their prejudices. One of mine has been to not take seriously young women who are tall and blonde and laugh a lot. So when Laura Lee signed up for one of my African history classes, I figured that she was there for the credits and nothing more. Turned out, she was (or became) passionate about Africa, and she was damn smart -- the kind of student who asks questions that you haven't thought of yet. Lesson one.

The first time I heard from her after she had graduated, she told me about backpacking through Africa, something I've never managed to do. In Kenya, she met an elderly tea farmer named Japhlet Thambu, who had been an important commander during the anti-colonial struggle during the 1950s. She was going to write his biography. Right... Having never written a book, having no graduate training in African history, she was going to write his biography. Well, she did it. I've read the manuscript -- the one that's now sitting on an editor's desk at a major publishing house -- and it's terrific. I'm not saying it was easy for her to do -- it's been a long road -- but it really is a terrific book. (And also an important contribution to our understanding of African history.) Lesson two.

"Running with Raven," a documentary by Mary Beth and Laura Lee. [Click on the arrow to play the video.]

Now Laura Lee is free-lancing in Miami, and she's hooked up with Mary Beth Koeth, a photographer and filmmaker, to produce Running with Raven a documentary for which she's raising funds on Kickstarter. I'm not going to describe the project to you. In the video above, Laura Lee and Mary Beth do a much better job than I could. Lesson three.

I will guarantee this... If Laura Lee's involved, it's going to get done, and it's going to be wonderful. (And funny.) I've backed it; I hope you will, too.

13 August 2012: Laura Lee and Mary Beth are posting updates on their Kickstarter website. The most recent -- "The Sand Feels Like Needles" Running through Hurricane Irene -- is terrific. It combines an audio recording of Raven talking to Laura Lee about, well, running through Hurricane Irene, with some wonderful video footage of Raven by Mary Beth. Check it out, here.

By the way, the project is already well in its way to reaching its fund-raising goal. But it still needs your help. You can pledge, here.

13 July 2012

I love these guys -- Robert Jospe, Jeff Decker, Bob Hallahan, and Randall Pharr. Living in Charlottesville, Virginia, I'm lucky enough to be able to hear them on a regular basis. Robert and Jeff teach in the music department at the University of Virginia. Bob teaches nearby at James Madison University's School of Music, and Randall lives, gigs, and teaches in Richmond.

Yes, they're all connected to universities, but don't let that worry you. They're not academic players, and this isn't academic music. It's all way too funkified for that.

06 July 2012

Kait Dunton must know what she's doing. Either that, or she's ever-so-slightly out of her mind. Because here she is -- amid of the clutter and noise of the internet age -- whispering.

Mountain Suite, the mesmerizing new album from the LA-based composer and pianist, never raises its voice, never prances or preens, never grabs your collar and demands your attention. Instead, it quietly invites you into its world for a long, engaging, and ultimately moving stay.

Mountain Suite began to come together when Dunton attended a workshop at the Banff art center in the Canadian Rockies. While she was there, she told me a few weeks ago, she began to write pieces that were "more adventurous, without an obvious form." Over the next few years, some of the tunes "kept hanging around." As Dunton worked with them, she realized that they formed "part of an arc," and she decided to complete it with newer pieces, "keeping the concept in mind."

The concept -- that arc -- is a journey, an abstract journey that for Dunton has both physical and emotional associations. It connects the glorious mountain scenery of Banff and to journeys of the mind and the heart.

Dunton emphasizes that Mountain Suite is very much a suite -- a series of related short compositions that are meant to be heard as a whole. She says that the various movements reflect the stages of a journey -- its excited, yet apprehensive beginning, its moments of enchantment and jubilation, its disappointments and confusion, and, in this particular case, its triumphant revelations and quiet return. To my ears, the suite is an inward journey, and a deeply emotional one, at that.

"Day One," live recording. Same performers.

Dunton is still in her twenties, but there's no doubt that she's already developed a distinctive compostitional voice. Her style mixes angularity with emotion, and rhythmic complexity with melodic grace. Even though she's already released a debut album -- 2008's Real & Imagined -- Mountain Suite is her real coming out party as a composer.

As you've gathered from the videos, Dunton is working with a number of collaborators on this album. The two that appear in the videos are drummer, Peter Erskine, and bassist Darek "Oles" Oleszkiewicz. On the album, as in the videos, the interplay between piano, bass, and drums is marvelous to behold.

Dunton's piano playing on Mountain Suite, even at its most exuberant, has a serene quality, as though she were painting with pastels rather than primary colors. Erskine, especially, is with her all the way, often relying on his cymbals rather than drums to propel the music. That's going to surprise people (like me, to be honest) who will forever associate him with the high-powered athleticism he displayed when playing with Weather Report. It shouldn't. He's a wonderfully tasty cat who's played with everyone from John Abercrombie and Diana Krall to Steely Dan to Linda Ronstadt.

"Path," live recording. Same performers.

Saxophonist Bob Mintzer and trumpeter John Daversa, who appear in the video directly above, also show up on several of the album's tracks. (Oh, yeah, Dunton has put together a damned impressive band.) Even though the none of the movements turns into a blowing session, they both do a lot more than providing another set of colors, as you can hear. Like Erskine and Oleszkiewicz, they're in tune with Mountain Suite's moods and contribute subtle, intricate, moving solos.

(In a wonderful coincidence, Dunton told me that Mintzer also performed her very first composition. It happened in 2005, when she was an undergraduate at the University of Virginia, and Mintzer was in town to perform with the university's jazz ensemble. I wonder if he remembers the dark-haired piano player with the blazing talent.)

I started out by suggesting that Dunton is either a genius or a little bit crazy. I imagine you've figured out which side of the fence I fall on as far as that question is concerned.

It also seems to me that Dunton has more than her share of courage. Not every young artist would be prepared to make her second album one that makes demands on the listeners. This is music that asks for your time and your concentration. It should be heard whole -- as the suite that it is -- and it rewards careful, sustained attention. It takes guts to release an album that's neither iTunes-friendly (it would make little sense to download isolated tracks) nor iPod-friendly (it would make even less sense to put the tracks into a shuffle mix) in 2012.

As slow music in a fast food world, it's never going to be popular music. Most Taylor Swift fans or Beyonce fans probably wouldn't be interested. But some of them would be, if Mountain Suite somehow came their way and if they stopped to listen. Here's hoping that they have the chance.

If you're in Los Angeles or Berlin, you can catch Dunton live in July. On Sunday, the 8th, she and her trio will be playing in LA at the Honor Bar, in the South Beverly Grill, from 6:00 to 10:00. (Free admission.) And, on the 28th, she and the trio will be in Berlin, performing at Noyman Miller, at 8:30.